# ✎ Technique: Pointer gestures

**Source**: https://accessibility.huit.harvard.edu/technique-pointer-gestures
**Parent**: https://accessibility.huit.harvard.edu/techniques

All operations must use simple gestures that need only a single touch. Gestures that need two fingers or complicated movements can be hard to operate for people with hand tremors or limited movement. Users with alternative input devices such as a mouth stick, sip-and-puff, or head mouse also benefit. Simple gestures are easier for someone with cognitive impairments to remember and use. If the site or application does use multi-touch gestures, be sure to also provide simple interfaces.

## Examples

### ✗ Bad example: map application without zoom controls.

Google Maps mobile app only relies on pinch gesture for zooming.

### ✓ Good example: map application with zoom controls.

The [TopoView](https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/topoview/) map viewer application from the US Geological Service is a good example. It supports 2 fingered pinch and zoom gestures but also has + and - buttons to perform the same zoom actions. The + and - buttons are single pointer gestures. The application also supports touch and drag to pan around the map. To make this into a simple gesture, add up, down, left and right arrow buttons along the left hand navigation area. Now a user can pan around the map by clicking an arrow button. The screenshot below shows these added arrow buttons.

(Source: [Knowbility article on pointer gestures](https://knowbility.org/blog/2018/WCAG21-251PointerGestures/))

See also:

- [Techniques](https://accessibility.huit.harvard.edu/page-categories/techniques)
- [Inputs](https://accessibility.huit.harvard.edu/accessibility-topics/inputs)
- [Switch-based input](https://accessibility.huit.harvard.edu/access-technologies/switch-based-output)
- [Custom widgets and controls ✎](https://accessibility.huit.harvard.edu/content/custom-widgets-and-controls)
- [Design controls for easy operation ✎](https://accessibility.huit.harvard.edu/content/size-controls-easy-operation)
- [Operable](https://accessibility.huit.harvard.edu/techniques/principles/operable)
- [Motor impairment](https://accessibility.huit.harvard.edu/disabilities/motor-impairment)
- [Touch](https://accessibility.huit.harvard.edu/technologies/touch)